Measles and how to care for it.

(Baonghean)Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that easily spreads in epidemics, and is very common in children, especially infants, due to their weak immune systems. The disease occurs year-round, but February is the peak month for outbreaks. It is transmitted through the respiratory tract, so it spreads rapidly. Measles is preventable through vaccination.

Identify the causes and symptoms.

- At the onset of the disease, children usually have a high fever; when the fever subsides, the characteristic rash of measles will begin to appear.

- The measles rash is very distinctive: it initially appears behind the ears, then spreads to the face, gradually down to the chest and abdomen, and then to the entire body. When the rash disappears, it also disappears in the same order it appeared on the skin. A characteristic feature of the measles rash is that it is papular (raised bumps on the skin), and when it fades, it leaves behind very distinctive dark marks on the skin, often called "tiger stripes." Children with measles often have some accompanying symptoms such as runny nose, cough, or red eyes; sometimes children experience diarrhea due to inflammation of the digestive tract.

Common complications

- The most common complication is acute otitis media, which occurs in 1 in 10 children infected with measles.

- Severe pneumonia occurs in about 1 in 20 cases of measles and can be fatal.

- Encephalitis, which occurs in about 1 in 1000 people with measles.

- Diarrhea and vomiting due to measles, which commonly occur in young children, especially infants.

- Blurred vision or corneal ulceration can cause blindness, a very dangerous complication of measles.

- Severe malnutrition in children after measles infection significantly affects their health and development.

Pregnant women who contract measles may experience miscarriage, premature birth, or give birth to low-birth-weight babies.

Proper care for children with measles.

When measles is detected in a child, it is crucial to isolate the sick child from healthy children. Caregivers of the sick child must wash their hands with soap before and after each contact with the sick child, before caring for healthy children.

- Because the disease is highly contagious, preventing its spread in the community is something parents need to pay attention to. Everyone needs to maintain personal hygiene, clean homes and the surrounding environment, and keep rooms well-ventilated and clean.

- Boost children's immunity with a diet rich in essential nutrients, and increase their intake of vitamin-rich fluids, especially vitamin A, to protect their eyesight when they have measles.

- Avoid the misconception that preventing patients from bathing or being exposed to drafts will worsen their condition.

- In cases of exposure to the source of infection, the use of immunoglobulin can prevent the disease or reduce the severity of measles. However, this is an expensive and less common method of prevention.

- In addition, an extremely effective and safe preventive method is to use vaccines to inoculate children.

From Thanh(synthetic)